The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), Rome
Brought to Rome by tradition c. AD 326; moved to this site 1589
The Scala Santa is a flight of twenty-eight marble steps in Rome that pilgrims climb on their knees while praying. Tradition says these are the stairs Jesus climbed in Pontius Pilate's palace during his Passion, brought from Jerusalem to Rome in the fourth century.
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The Story
Across the piazza from the Basilica of St. John Lateran stands a plain-fronted building that holds one of Rome's most physical devotions. Inside, twenty-eight marble steps rise straight ahead. Pilgrims do not walk up them. They kneel at the bottom and climb one step at a time, praying as they go, while four ordinary staircases on either side carry everyone else up and down.
The tradition, recorded from the medieval period onward, is that these are the steps of the praetorium in Jerusalem, climbed by Jesus on the day he was condemned, and that St. Helena, the mother of Constantine, had them brought to Rome around AD 326. That origin cannot be verified historically, and honest guides say so. What is certain is that the stairs have drawn pilgrims for roughly a thousand years. In 1589 Pope Sixtus V had them moved to their present position, with Domenico Fontana designing the building that frames them.
At the top is the Sancta Sanctorum, the private chapel of the medieval popes, rebuilt under Nicholas III with Cosmatesque floors and thirteenth-century frescoes. Its inscription reads that there is no holier place in all the world. It guards the Acheropita, an ancient image of Christ described as not made by human hands, and a celebrated collection of relics beneath its altar.
Since 1723 the marble has been protected by a walnut casing, so most pilgrims kneel on wood rather than stone. Between April and July 2019 that casing was lifted for a restoration by Vatican Museums conservators, and for the first time in almost three hundred years visitors saw the bare marble -- worn into hollows by centuries of knees, with rosaries, holy cards and photographs found tucked underneath. The wood was then replaced to protect the stone.
How to read this account
Church Recognition
The Church has never issued a historical ruling that these are certainly the steps of Pilate's praetorium; the identification rests on ancient tradition rather than documentary proof, and Catholic sources generally present it that way. What the Church has done is give the devotion its full official support. The site is a Pontifical Sanctuary on extraterritorial property of the Holy See, and since 1854, at the direction of Pope Pius IX, it has been in the care of the Passionists, whose particular charism is keeping the memory of Christ's Passion alive.
Popes have attached indulgences to the climb: Pius VII granted one in 1817, and a plenary indulgence is available to the faithful who ascend the stairs on their knees while meditating on the Passion, under the usual conditions of sacramental confession, Holy Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father. A stair lift has been fitted to one of the side staircases so that people who cannot kneel or climb can still make the pilgrimage and receive the indulgence.
Catholic Teaching
The Scala Santa is a school in two Catholic doctrines at once. The first is the veneration of relics: the Church honors objects connected to Christ and the saints not as magic but as physical anchors of a real history, because the faith rests on things that happened in time and place to a God who took flesh. The second is the meaning of penance. Climbing on one's knees is a prayer made with the body, joining a small deliberate discomfort to the sufferings of Christ -- what St. Paul calls filling up in our flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his Body, the Church. The indulgence attached to the climb expresses the Church's teaching on the communion of saints: the merits of Christ and the saints are a treasury the Church can apply to the healing of temporal punishment for sin already forgiven.
Go Deeper
The sanctuary is run by the Passionists, whose vocation is preaching the Passion of Christ; their site is scala-santa.com.
The Scala Santa sits within a few minutes' walk of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome and the mother church of the world, and the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, which holds relics of the Passion brought to Rome by St. Helena. The three make a natural half-day of Passion devotion.
Useful before you go
Plan Your Visit
The Pilgrim’s Quick Card
- Ideal stay
- Half Day Allow 2-4 hours for the church, chapels, and prayer
- Best months
- Apr-Jun & Sep-Oct Comfortable weather and fewer peak-season crowds
- Nearest airport
- Rome Fiumicino (FCO) Main U.S. gateway for Rome
- Language & currency
- Italian · Euro (€) English availability varies; major shrines often assist
- Accessibility
- Good Main worship areas are usually accessible; verify details
Plan the trip
How Long Should I Stay?
Half Day is a practical amount of time for The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), Rome. Allow 2-4 hours for the church, chapels, and prayer.
- Minimum: Half Day for the principal shrine or church and personal prayer.
- Recommended: Half Day so you can include Mass, the main devotional focus, and time to explore without rushing.
- Extended stay: Add a second day for a slower pace and nearby sacred sites.
Pilgrim Tip: Leave at least one unscheduled block for quiet prayer; pilgrimage sites often become most meaningful after the checklist is finished.
Best Time to Visit
Fridays in Lent, and Good Friday above all, are the traditional days for the climb and draw the largest crowds. Early morning right at opening is the quietest time in any season, and the sanctuary closes for several hours at midday. Holy Years bring very heavy traffic.
Getting There From the United States
The sanctuary is on Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano, directly across from the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. Take Metro Line A to San Giovanni and walk a few minutes to the piazza; several bus and tram lines also serve the Lateran area.
On the ground
Getting Around
A rental car is usually unnecessary for a visit centered on The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), Rome. Rome is best handled with walking, public transportation, and occasional taxis or rideshare services.
Use transit for longer city movements and walk the final approach when practical. Historic centers often have limited parking and traffic restrictions.
Good to Know: Allow extra time around major feast days, weekends, and large liturgies, when local streets and transit can be crowded.
Where to Stay
Choose lodging in the most walkable part of Rome, ideally within a short walk or simple transit ride of The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), Rome. That makes it easier to attend Mass and return for prayer without losing time in traffic.
Best For Pilgrims
- Historic-center lodging near the church or shrine
- Religious guesthouses when available
- Hotels near a major transit stop
- Accessible lodging if your group has mobility needs
Pilgrim Tip: Check the actual walking route, not just the map distance; old cities can include steep streets, stairs, or cobblestones.
Accessibility
The Holy Stairs themselves are climbed only on the knees, but the four side staircases are open for ordinary walking, and a stair lift has been installed on one of them so that people with limited mobility can reach the top and receive the indulgence. The building is historic, so surfaces are hard and uneven in places.
What to do
Most Important Things to Do
Begin at the Main Shrine
The main pilgrimage experience is the sacred church or shrine at The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), Rome.
Allow: 30-60 minutes for prayer before moving through the rest of the site.
Attend Mass
If Mass is offered during your visit, make it the center of the pilgrimage rather than an add-on. Check the official shrine or parish schedule shortly before traveling.
Understand the Devotion
Notice the principal altar, chapels, sacred art, relics, or devotional image that gives the shrine its identity.
Explore the Church and Grounds
Look for the principal chapel, altar, crypt, museum, gardens, historic rooms, or pilgrimage route connected with the site. Allow another 45-90 minutes where available.
Pilgrim Tip: Arrive early or stay later than large tour groups when possible; the atmosphere is often much quieter.
Suggested Pilgrimage Itinerary
Half-Day Pilgrimage
- Begin at The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), Rome and spend time in quiet prayer.
- Attend Mass if the schedule aligns with your visit.
- Visit the principal shrine, tomb, relic, apparition site, or historic chapel.
- Go to Confession when available.
- Finish with another short period of prayer before leaving.
Have more time? Add other major basilicas and saint shrines in Rome.
Mass, Confession & Prayer
Mass is normally the best anchor for the visit. Depending on the shrine, pilgrims may also find Confession, Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration, processions, blessings, or seasonal devotions.
Use the current schedule provided by the shrine, parish, diocese, or religious community shortly before visiting.
Pilgrim Tip: Avoid building your itinerary around an old fixed Mass time. Liturgical schedules can change seasonally and on feast days.
Practical
What to Bring
Twenty-eight steps on the knees is longer than it sounds. Kneepads or padded trousers are a practical help, and many pilgrims bring a written intention or a rosary to pray on the way up. Ordinary Roman church dress applies: shoulders and knees covered.
Before You Go
Before leaving:
- ✓ Check current opening hours
- ✓ Check Mass and Confession information
- ✓ Write down your prayer intentions
- ✓ Confirm airport and ground transportation
- ✓ Check the weather
- ✓ Pack comfortable walking shoes
- ✓ Confirm accessibility needs in advance
- ✓ Carry appropriate church clothing
- ✓ Leave room for quiet prayer
Most Important: Do not experience The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), Rome only as a historic attraction. Make time for prayer, the sacraments when available, and the devotion or biblical event that gives the place its meaning.
Additional Information
Official Information
Check the shrine, parish, diocese, or custodian's official website for current opening hours, liturgies, closures, and pilgrimage notices.
Currency
Italy uses Euro (€). Carry a payment card plus a small amount of local cash for offerings, small cafés, or local transport.
Local Language
Italian is the principal language for this destination. English availability varies, but major international shrines often have multilingual staff or printed material.
Religious Etiquette
Dress respectfully, silence phones during prayer and Mass, avoid photographing worshippers at close range, and follow any local rules around relics, tombs, confessionals, or restricted chapels.
Pilgrim travel note: Mass times, opening hours, costs, accessibility, and local conditions can change. Please confirm important details directly with the shrine and your providers before you travel. Travel Disclaimer
Travel with a group
Prefer to travel with a group?
No guided pilgrimages that include The Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), Rome are listed yet. Many parishes and dioceses organize their own trips, so ask at yours.
Continue your pilgrimage
Sacred places nearby
- Basilica of St. John Lateran The cathedral of Rome and 'mother of all churches,' the pope's cathedral church. <1 mi
- Basilica of San Clemente A church holding relics of St. Clement of Rome. <1 mi
- Basilica of Sts. John and Paul (Tomb of St. Paul of the Cross) The burial place of St. Paul of the Cross. <1 mi
- Basilica of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus A church holding relics of St. Achilleus. <1 mi
- Basilica of St. Mary Major (Relics of St. Jerome) A church holding relics of St. Jerome. <1 mi
- Basilica of St. Mary Major The largest Marian church in Rome and one of the four papal major basilicas. <1 mi
- Church of Santa Francesca Romana The burial place of St. Frances of Rome. <1 mi
- Basilica of Sts. Cosmas and Damian A church holding relics of Sts. Cosmas and Damian. 1 mi
Information & sources
- Church recognition
- Church-recognized devotion
Mass times, admission and travel requirements change. Confirm them with the official source before you visit.
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